Snaky millipede

Blunt-tailed Snake Millipede (Cylindroiulus punctatus)

Turning over logs in our garden has turned up a host of interesting creatures recently, including this spotty little millipede – a Blunt-tailed Snake Millipede (Cylindroiulus punctatus). Many of Britain's millipedes are challenging to identify, but this one is an exception. The combination of pale body, darker head (with a dark mask across the eyes), dark stripe on the back and dark spots on the side is diagnostic, though those dark spots aren't found on every individual. Like most millipedes, this one feeds on dead or decaying plant material, spending most of its time in rotting wood or leaf litter. It's common and widespread across Great Britain, though somewhat scarcer in northern Scotland. The British Myriapod and Isopod Group reports that it's the "most common and widespread [millipede] species in Britain and Ireland". It's also found in western Europe (from northern Spain to Scandinavia), and has been introduced to North America. Though most strongly associated with woodland – and far less likely in built-up areas – it can be found in most habitats. These little invertebrates live a surprisingly long time. Studies have shown that they take at least three years to reach maturity, and that females may breed for several years after that. They're known to "migrate" from leaf litter to dead wood in the spring, and then back to leaf litter for the winter. Considering how slowly they move, that must take a while!

18 spots

Eighteen-spot Ladybird (Myrrha octodecimguttata)

I treated myself to a new camera last week. It can take much closer macro shots than my previous camera could, so I've spent the last seven days prowling around the garden looking for subjects and loving the results. To be honest, it's been a revelation; we've added more than a dozen new insects to our list this week! This Eighteen-spot Ladybird (Myrrha octodecimguttata) was one of them. Its presence on a Common Nettle plant was a bit of surprise. Normally, they're associated with trees – particularly the topmost branches of Scots Pines. That said, we do have a sizable Scots Pine in one corner of the property, so perhaps that's where it started. This is one of the smaller ladybirds, measuring only 4-5 mm (less than 1/4-inch) and its rich brown colour is distinctive. The pronotum (the section just behind the insect's head, unfortunately not very visible in this photograph) has a rounded brown "M" mark, which is diagnostic. The similarly marked Cream-coloured Ladybird is larger and darker, and it lacks the curved white marks at the leading edge of the elytra (the hard shell covering the wings). Despite its name, the Eighteen-spot Ladybird can show fewer than 18 spots, as neighbouring spots merge together in some individuals. Like many ladybirds, this one is a predator, hunting aphids that feed on conifers. Apparently, it breeds in the treetops, laying its eggs in areas near prey. It overwinters as an adult, gathering in groups in crevices and under peeling bark on pine trees, and also on the cones and among the needles on branch tips. Though widespread across Britain, it appears to be quite local and only occasionally seen – presumably because you'd normally need to climb to the top of a tree to find one!

Crabby

European Green Crab Spider (Diaea dorsata)

One thing we quickly learned when trying to identify things in the garden – some spiders are hard! Many can only be identified by dissecting their genitalia, or other equally lethal methods. We're not at the point where we want to do anything of the sort, so many of the species we find go unidentified. Fortunately, there are some spiders that don't require such extreme measures, and one of them made an unexpected appearance this week. I say unexpected because although the European Green Crab Spider (Diaea dorsata) is widespread across the southern half of England, it's still pretty uncommon across this corner of Norfolk. When I entered the record into iRecord (the national database), I got a message saying it was "outside the known range of this species". 

The European Green Crab Spider is so named because its long legs and scuttling movements bear a strong resemblance to a real crab. It's quite small though; the female's body is only about 6 mm (1/4-inch) long, and the male's is even smaller, though the long legs of both sexes help to make them seem larger. In a cool adaptation, it can change its colour to blend in with its surroundings, a process that takes several days. Based on its size, the individual we saw appeared to be a female. With any luck we'll find a male. Or preferably two! Males compete by facing off with their front legs outstretched and dancing around each other – reportedly sometimes for hours. It would be fun to see such a combat. Our handy reference guide, "Britain's Spiders", says the species is strongly affiliated with woodland and prefers evergreen foliage, so I'm not quite sure how (or why) it ended up on our Norway Maple trunk, but we're glad it did!

Hairy

Hairy Tare (Vicia hirsuta)

After six years, we're finally starting to see the beginnings of a real wildflower grassland on one edge of our pocket meadow; prior to this year, it was mostly rank grass. But now, a tangle of Common Vetch, Cowslips, Perforate Saint-John's-wort, Common and Greater knapweeds, Fiddledock and Bird's-foot-trefoil is spreading through the grasses on one side of our pond, and the other day, we found a few Hairy Tare (Vicia hirsuta) plants in their midst. These were twining their way up grass stems, their little purplish-white flowers eye-catching among the green. As you may be able to tell from the picture above, Hairy Tare is a legume – a member of the pea family. The "hairy" in its common name is a nod to the downy hairs that cover its seed pods. These help to distinguish it from Smooth and Slender tares, both of which have hairless pods. Hairy Tare is an annual, germinating in the autumn and flowering (and fruiting) from May to August of the following year. Native to Europe and western Asia, it has been deliberately introduced elsewhere, primarily as a cover crop or green manure. It's common in rough grassland, dry grassy areas and roadside verges throughout most of Britain, though missing from the northernmost reaches of Scotland. Hopefully, it will successfully set seed and continue in our pocket meadow!